Men's Basketball Falls to No. 18 Bobcats

Justin McCoy scored 21 points, but the Bucs couldn't beat the Bobcats for a second time. Photo by Jason Roberts

MIAMI SHORES, Fla. -- It came down to a last possession again.

For the second time this season, Barry dropped a one-possession game to NAIA No. 18 St. Thomas -- this time an 84-82 overtime verdict Friday night at Health & Sports Center.

Barry (3-3) lost a two-point decision to St. Thomas (9-2) earlier this year. This one needed overtime to decide it.

The Buccaneers trailed by three with 3:31 to play in regulation before Filip Toric sank two free throws on one possession, and hit another on a second possession. Damien Dwaine's layup with 2:29 to play gave the Buccaneers a two-point lead, but Dylan O'Sullivan tied it for St. Thomas at the 2:15 mark.

Toric buried a three-pointer to put the Bucs ahead by three, but John Nunally answered with a triple for the Bobcats to knot the score at 68-68. Floyd Battle's basket gave St. Thomas the lead with 42 seconds remaining, but Justin McCoy scored 12 seconds later to tie it at 70-70.

St. Thomas' Kevin Hincapie missed a jumper in the closing seconds, and Barry's Bryan Van Cott grabbed the rebound, but the Bucs didn't call a timeout and couldn't get the ball up the floor for a final shot.

In overtime, St. Thomas took a 78-74 lead after a pair of Demonte' Simpson free throws. Van Cott hit a triple to pull the Bucs within one with 1:26 to play. Lorel Beckford's layup with 29 seconds remaining gave the Bobcats a four-point lead before Chad Renfro scored on the other end.

Hincapie sank two free throws to push the Bobcats back up four, and McCoy sank a pair of free throws to pull Barry within two with 16 seconds left in overtime. But after O'Sullivan missed a pair of free throws, Barry couldn't convert on two shots in the closing seconds, and St. Thomas escaped with another wire-to-wire finish.

The Buccaneers shot 42.7 percent from the floor, but struggled from beyond the arc. Barry was 6 of 23 from three-point range. St. Thomas hit 46.6 percent of their field goal attempts and 33.3 percent of their triple tries.

St. Thomas outscored Barry, 46-16, in bench production.

Simpson had 26 points and 12 rebounds, and Floyd Battle had 22 points and four assists for the Bobcats.

McCoy scored 21, matching his high at Barry, and Renfro had 12 points, 14 rebounds and five assists for the Bucs. Toric had 10 points, seven rebounds and three steals, Dwaine 10 points, three steals and six boards and Van Cott 13 points and six boards as all five Bucs starters scored in double figures. Aaron Martin had eight points and five rebounds.

Barry will play Missouri Western in the Lynn Courtyard by Marriott Classic Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. in Boca Raton.